Scots Museum Staff Agree Pay Deal To End Strikes

Planned industrial action at Scotland's national museum has been called off after union members struck a deal with employers.

The long-running dispute over pay has been resolved after the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union voted to accept an offer from management.

Staff at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh had threatened to strike over the five weekends from Easter to the Holyrood election.

The PCS claimed a ''two-tier workforce'' saw long-serving workers earn an extra allowance for working weekends which is not applied to the newer and lowest-paid staff.

A National Museums Scotland spokeswoman said: "Funding support from the Scottish Government and efficiency savings have enabled National Museums Scotland and the PCS trade union to reach an agreement to buy out weekend working allowances and improve the pay of the lowest paid members of staff.

"The buy-out is a single one-off payment to end the allowances. This offer has been combined with a previously-made offer which improves the pay of the lowest paid members of staff.

"PCS membership considered the revised offer last week and agreed the proposals. This brings the dispute to an end and means the planned strike action for weekends during April will no longer take place.''

PCS said members will receive wage rises of between £221 and £1,634 and most will get compensation payments of between #600 and £15,000.

National officer Lynn Henderson said: "For PCS, the dispute was always about two things, low pay and ending the two-tier workforce. This deal meets both our objectives.

"This settlement is hugely significant for our members in National Museums Scotland who have shown that through united and determined action we can win significant results, even in the face of austerity.''

Dr Gordon Rintoul, director of National Museums Scotland, said: £I am pleased that we have agreed a resolution to the industrial dispute which is satisfactory for all concerned.

"Together we can now move forward with the important task of providing an excellent visitor experience for all who come to the National Museums.''

The latest statistics from admissions body Ucas, published as pupils south of the border received exam results on Thursday, outline that 16.5% of 18-year-old applicants from England accepted to university were from the poorest areas.